Angelic Baby
by hyacinthian
Summary: Bill demeans Mulder again. Scully has to fix Bill's actions. She invites him to Christmas dinner. Is there something else there? [MSR]
1. Intercepted Phone Call

Mulder's Apartment  
Christmas Eve  
  
xXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX  
Mulder was sitting on his couch, watching "It's a Wonderful Life" continuously. He envied this Jimmy Stewart character's life. Sure, it took his guardian angel to show him the better side of his life, but Mulder's life was worse. Guardian angels had probably avoided him, knowing that they couldn't make a difference. Not where he was concerned. Hell, Satan probably had him on the top of the list. Yeah, he thought morosely, Satan has me on speed dial.  
His cell phone rang. Pausing to spit out a sunflower seed shell, he picked it up. "Mulder," he answered. The gloominess could be sensed in his tone.  
"It's me."  
"Scully. What are you doing calling me on Christmas Eve? You have better things to do. Are you at your mom's house?"  
"Yeah."  
"I can see it now," he whispered bitterly into the phone, "Bill's hovering over you because he believes you shouldn't be talking to your crackpot partner on Christmas Eve, your mother's in the kitchen cooking, little children are darting around excited. All the signs of a good Christmas Eve." This was followed by a heavy sigh. He heard shuffling and then a "Bill, no!"  
"Listen to me, you son-of-a-bitch. You leave my little sister alone. Can't you just leave her in peace? I mean, even a heartless ass like you can understand what holidays are for my little sister. It's practically the only time she can see her family...because of you!" This was said in an accusing tone. He heard shuffling. His head drooped. His manner was like a dog with his tail between his legs. He was giving up. He was surrendering. There was no point to fight.  
"You're right," he muttered into the phone.  
"Mulder, no! You can't do this self-flaggelation thing again! Okay? It's not your fault. It's just...It's the X-Files, Mulder."  
"Yeah. You're my partner on the X-Files and I force you to come along with me on all these damn cases. Spend some time with your family, Scully. I'm such an asshole that I don't even give you time with your family." He sighed. "Merry Christmas, Scully." He clicked the phone off.  
xXxXxXxXxX  
Margaret Scully's House  
Christmas Eve  
7:00 p.m.  
  
"William Scully Jr! You drag your butt over here!" Margaret Scully yelled. She was about two feet away from him. He cowered, his head hanging low, as he trudged over. His wife was standing next to his mother. And Dana was already ignoring him. "I hope that I have a hearing problem and that I didn't hear you right. Maybe my idea to monitor your telephone habits is a good idea. Seeing how you spoke to Fox."  
"He deser--"  
"Bill! You know he didn't!"  
Dana Scully got her nerve and stalked over, her face wrought in an emotionless facade. Her skin was glowering a darker shade. "Bill Scully, I don't know if you know this, but before you came along, he was the most self-flagellating person I know. He blamed himself for everything! My cancer came, and he already blamed himself. Then, you confirmed his worst fears. It took me so long to convince him otherwise! You have told him that the problems that have been inflicted upon this family: Melissa's death, my cancer...all of it. You told him it was his fault. Do you know what they did to his already critical self-esteem? You killed it, Bill. Like running over a bird, backing up, and running over it again. I love him, Bill, and I swear to God, if you push him over the edge and he commits suicide because of your dumbass comments, I will kick your ass. You understand? I don't give a fuck if you're my older brother!" She stood, breathing in and out through her nostrils, resembling Bill of a charging bull.   
"You need to stop with this stupid behavior, Bill! God, sometimes...I swear, you can be just as bad as Matt, sometimes," his wife added.  
"Mom, excuse me. I am going to bring Mulder over here and treat him to a real Christmas dinner, okay?" She was rewarded with the bewildered and angry look he cast her. "If you say anything to him, Bill, I swear..." She added a growl. 


	2. Christmas Invitation

Mulder's Apartment  
7:15  
  
"Mulder! It's me! Open up!" Scully yelled. She heard soft footfalls and a soft click of a lock unlocking. She opened the door. He was sitting on his couch again, his feet propped up on the table, eating buttered popcorn and drinking beer.  
  
"Hey, Scully. What are you doing here? Go back home. You need family time. Lord knows I don't give you enough." This last phrase was muttered underneath his breath but she heard it.  
  
She walked up to the television and shut it off. She grabbed the half-full beer bottle and emptied its contents in the sink. She grabbed the popcorn bowl and set it on his coffee table. She grasped his wrists and futilely tried to pull him up. "Scully? What are you doing?"  
  
She stopped and let go of his wrists, watching his arms flop down at his sides. "Mulder, will you join me for Christmas dinner?"   
  
"Scully, I--"  
  
"See? That's why I was doing that. You were going to say no anyway. You're coming. Come on." She kept pulling. He stayed put. "Please?" There was a little whining tone, but it was still adorable. He stood up and shirked his coat on, jumping into his socks and shoes.   
  
"Fine."  
  
~~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Margaret Scully's House  
7:30 p.m.  
  
"Mom! I'm back!" Scully cried, shirking off her coat and removing her shoes and socks. She walked around barefoot, seating herself on the couch. She watched as Mulder awkwardly removed his coat and shoes and walked over to where she was, seating himself next to her. He nervously played with her fingers. She smiled.  
  
"Fox! I'm glad you're here!" beamed Mrs. Scully, walking over to embrace him in a hug. "I'm sorry about Bill's...comment."  
  
"Mrs. Scully. No, it was fine. I have accepted that fact...I'd accepted it quite a long time ago, Mrs. Scully. He just reopened the wound."  
  
"I see. Call me Maggie. None of those formalities. I want you to meet everyone." She called for some relatives. He heard some names he recognized. Some he didn't. Mrs. Scully pointed as she talked. "That's Charlie. That's his wife, Lydia, and their daughters, Nena and Riley. That's Bill, his wife Tara, and their son, Matthew."  
  
"Nena's five. Riley's three," Scully pointed out. "She just learned to talk." Scully smiled at the fact. Nena ran over to hug her aunt.  
  
"Auntie, who'd you bring with you?"  
  
"This is...ahem..." Her mind blanked. She watched as he leaned down to her height and took her little hands in his.  
  
"You can call me Fox, okay?" She giggled. "And what's your name?"  
  
"My name's Nena."  
  
"That's such a pretty name."  
  
"Thank you, Mister--"  
  
"No, no mister. Just call me Fox."  
  
Lydia smiled as Bill scowled. Scully looked up to see Tara smack him on the arm. His scowl drooped into a frown.   
  
"Don't fo'get me!" cried Riley, the little three-year-old running over. "I'm Riwey."  
  
"Hi Riley."  
  
"Isn't my name so p'etty?"  
  
He chuckled. "Yeah." She took his hand and led him over to her parents.  
  
"That's Mommy. That's Daddy."  
  
Charlie chuckled and picked his little daughter up. "Hey, Mulder. How ya doing?" He shook his hand fiercely. "That's Lydia, if you ignored my mom's talking. And I see you've met Riley."  
  
"Yes, I have."  
  
"Mulder!" Scully jogged over, taking his hand in hers. "You weren't supposed to forget me!" She grinned widely. She led him toward a corner, where they spoke privately. "Mulder, I know you don't have any family left and I know that what you were doing at your apartment when I arrived is the best you can come to a loving Christmas, so how about spending Christmas here with me and my family?"  
  
"Scully, I don't want to intrude."  
  
"You won't. My mom and Charlie will welcome your being here. I already bought you a gift. Don't even argue."  
  
"Yes, ma'am," he mock saluted. She laughed. Her face sobered up. She took him in her arms, embracing him in a tender hug.   
  
"Mulder, I know that you've had the upper hand as far as wealth and education goes, but family-wise, you've had some real problems. I'm not insinuating anything. It's just my own opinion. You need a good Christmas experience, okay?"  
  
"You mean that Christmas Eve with the ghosts wasn't a good experience?" She laughed again. "What better way to spend Christmas Eve?"  
  
"Mulder, if you remember, we ended up shooting each other. We ended up opening doors with brick walls behind them, speaking to ghosts who had bullet holes in their head and stomach, who were chastising us on our pitiful lives."  
  
"You don't know that. Maybe they wanted to help."  
  
"You stole my car keys."  
  
"I did not."  
  
"You did so."  
  
"...and if the lovers over there will stop arguing, maybe we can start Christmas dinner by St. Patrick's Day," Margaret Scully teased. She enjoyed the blush that flared her daughter's cheeks. 


End file.
